Entries in Mahmoud Thiam
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In its advocacy for the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act(FEPA), which seeks to make it a criminal offense for foreign public officials to seek or receive bribes, the U.S. Helsinki Commission contends that the bill would “bring U.S. laws in line with international best practices.” In fact, the proposed legislation constitutes a significant departure from the prevailing U.S. and international approaches.

Tackling demand-side bribery, as the proposed Foreign Extortion Prevention Act aims to do, is complex. On the supply side, we know in most cases why business people pay bribes. In the words of the FCPA, it's to obtain or retain business or secure an improper advantage. But why do officials demand bribes?

A U.S. citizen who served as mining minister of the West African country of Guinea was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday of laundering $8.5 million in bribes he took from Chinese companies in exchange for valuable mining rights.

Mahmoud Thiam via YouTubeThe former Minister of Mines and Geology of the West African country of Guinea was arrested in New York and charged Tuesday with laundering $8.5 million in bribes he allegedly took from a Chinese conglomerate in exchange for mining rights.